The Mythology and Folklore Database
B3A - Primary waters, A810.
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Source Data from Berezkin's Analytics Catalogue, if using this data please acknowledge and link to it here:
Ю.Е. Березкин, Е.Н. Дувакин. Тематическая классификация и распределение фольклорно-мифологических мотивов по ареалам. Аналитический каталог.
Summary of Motif
The waters are primary. The earth is lowered onto the water, appears above the water, grows from a piece of solid substance placed on the surface of the water or liquid mud, from an island in the ocean, is exposed when the waters recede, etc.Berezkin category: The Origins of the Characteristics of the environment
This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part group 3, Cosmogony, the earth and the sky, etiology of the elements, natural and biological phenomena (fire, water, soil, thunderstorms, dream, etc.), cataclysms and cosmic threats, spirits of nature
B3 has 6 other sub-motifsB3. At first, the earth is soft, resembling a swamp. B3a. The waters are primary. The earth is lowered onto the water, appears above the water, grows from a piece of solid substance placed on the surface of the water or liquid mud, from an island in the ocean, is exposed when the waters recede, etc. B3b. Initially, the earth or the world as a whole was small in size, then it grew; fertile soil grew from a small amount of initial substance. See motif B3A (the earth grows from a piece of solid substance thrown onto the surface of the water). B3c. When the creator, having created the land, lies down to rest, the antagonist tries to drown him, dragging him to the edge of the earth. As a result, the earth expands, and the antagonist is unable to reach its edge. B3d. The earth is obtained by a worm; it arises from worm excrement, extracted from the worm. B3e. At first, below the sky there is only air and water or (rarely) swamp, an indefinite abyss. A character descends from the sky, creates or has a support created for him, and the earth grows out of it; the earth is lowered, dropped from the sky; the earth is thrown, placed on the surface of the sea, and grows into land; the earth is brought from somewhere else (not from the underworld) and placed on the waters. (This is a more general motif compared to motif b79a1, "The bird dropped the firmament onto the waters"). B3F. A character in the sky accidentally drops an object. The search for this object in the world below the sky leads to the creation of the earth or a change in its appearance. Click here if would you like to see a distrbution map combining all of B3's motifs? |
Top 10 Motifs with similar dispersal patterns
| Motif | Similarity | Motif Summary |
|---|---|---|
| B3B | 97.45% | Initially, the earth or the world as a whole was small in size, then it grew; fertile soil grew from a small amount of initial substance. See motif B3A (the earth grows from a piece of solid substance thrown onto the surface of the water). |
| A32 | 94.43% | A figure or imprint of some creature or object is visible on the lunar disc. Statistical calculations also include motifs A32A – A32J (a rabbit, frog, predatory animal, human, tree, etc. are visible on the moon). |
| I22 | 94.18% | There are objects that, while remaining in place, move constantly or periodically (collide and diverge, fall and rise, open and close, rotate). |
| B82 | 92.32% | The raven (less often another bird of prey, or another black bird the size of a raven) was first white, and then turned black. |
| J46 | 91.81% | Antagonists perish by falling into water or attempting to cross a water barrier. See motifs J42, J44. |
| K176 | 91.61% | A man sets out on a journey to find or bring back a bride or wife. |
| K27 | 91.35% | The character receives tasks that are deadly dangerous or can only be accomplished with supernatural abilities or helpers; the hero completes the tasks and/or miraculously survives. The confrontation between the characters unfolds as a game or competition in which the loser loses their life or status. |
| C6 | 91.34% | In texts with an emphasis on authenticity, characters dive or otherwise descend into the underworld to bring back to earth something desirable that is located at the bottom (deep below) (aka "The Earth Diver" motifs) (cf. fairy tale motif k27x9). |
| I100B | 91.26% | The Pleiades - a group of people of any gender and age. See motifs i99 - i100A, aggregate data. |
| K1F | 91.05% | One man traps another, driven by jealousy or the desire to possess his rival's wife. See motifs K1A, K1E, K2A. |
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Map of Motif Dispersal
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This motif has been recorded in 213 traditions: Akkad, Assyria, Babylonia, Arabs of Egypt, Berbers of southern Tunisia and adjacent part of Libya (Matmata and Ghadames areas), Malagasy, Tonga, Fang (Pangwe), Eton, Bafia, Batanga, Benga, Bube (Bubi), Buheba, Yaunde (Ewondo), Yebekolo, Koko, Bulu, Beti (Beti-Bulu), Sekiani, Eghap, Igbo (Ibo); Isoko, Urhobo, Yoruba; incl Ife), Nupe, Bini (Edo), Engenni, Chamba, Dakka, Kukuruku, Trans-New Guinea and unclassified Papuan groups of Irian Jaya: Mejprat, Arandai-Bintuni, Inanwatan-Berau, Papua of Gelvink (Cenderawasih) Bay, Kamoró, Marind Anim, Sawi, Mafore; Korowai; Kwerba; Momina, Eipo, Yale, Awyu, Melanesians and Papuans of Bismark Archipelago: New Britain (Paparatava, Lakalai, Kuni, Sulka, Gazelle peninsula), New Ireland, St Matthias Group, Mioko (Melanesians between New Britain and New Ireland), Melanesians of Admiralty Islands (incl Manus); Seimat (Western Islands), Santa Cruz Islands (incl Nguna, Reef Islands), Rotuma, Wallis (=Uvea, different from Melanesian Uvea), Futuna, Tikopia, Bellona, Rennell, partly Aneytium, Futuna (=Erronan, not to be mixed with Futuna in Western Polynesia), Vaeaka-Taumato, incl Matema, Nifeloli, Nukapu, Nupani, Pileni, Maori, Moriori (Chatam Islands), Tuamotu, incl Pukapuka (different from Pukapuka in Cook Islands), Vahitahi, Anaa, Hao, Fangatau, Marquesas, Hawaii, Ontong Java, Nukumanu, Takuu, Nukuria, Yap, Ulithi, Ngulu, Timor: Amarasi, Tetum, Meto, Atoni (incl Mollo), Kedang (Lomblen island), Leti Islands (Leti, Moa, Lakor), Alor, Solor, Wetar, Atauru, Flores, incl Mangarai (Western Flores), Nage, Keo, Riung, Ngada or Nad'a (Central Flores), Sika (Eastern Flores), Minahasa (incl. Tondano, Tentemboan), Bantik, Batak (Toba, Dairi), Kayan, Bahau, Kenja, Aoheng, Punan (Bukat, Basap, Oloh Ot, etc); "Klemantan", Dusun, Murut, Kelabit, Tombonuwo, Bajau, Tidong, Shan, Ahom, Khampti, Khmer, Northern Munda of Kharwar branch: Birhor, Ho, Mundari, Kol, Asur (including Agaria, Kol, Birjhia), Bhumij, Bhuiya (now Aryans, originally Munda; Rahman 1955: 203), Baiga, Bhaina, Bhumia (subgroup of Baiga, incl Bharia, formerly Munda, now speak Indo-Aryan languages of neighboring groups), Bondo, Didayi (Gata'), Gutob (=Gadaba; cf Dravidian-speaking Gadaba), Sora (Savara, Saora), Parenga, Eastern Arunachal Pradesh: Abor (incl Minyong, Shimong, Padam, Pasi, Panggi), Apa Tani (Apatani), Bori, Bugun, Dafla (=Nyishi, Nisi, Nishing, incl Tagin), Gallong (=Galo, Adi), Mishmi, SW Arunachal Pradesh: Sherdukpen, Tawang (Monpas), Aka (Hrusso), Miji, Garo (Atchik), Kachari (Bodo, incl. Lalung), Dimasa, Tripuri, Riang (of Tripura), Khami, Riga, Mori, Kuki, Chiru, Falam (Hallam), Chin (Meitei =Manipuri, Khami, =Kumi), Lakher, Mizo (Lushei), Anal, Pawi (Lai), Purum, Koireng, Milhiem, Kolhen, Mru, Mikir (Karbi), Konds (Khonds; language is Kui, incl Kuttia, Konda-Dora), Koya; Pengo, Indian literary tradition (Vedic, Brahman, Purana, Indian Buddhism, Hinduism, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Panchtantra, Jatakas); iconography of Hindu temples, Kashmiri, Nepali; Tharu, Balahi; Lambadi (Banjaaa), Sinhalese; Vedda, Lepcha, Kirati (Kiranti): Rai (incl Thulung), Limbu, Newar, Koreans, Poles, Hungarians, Bulgarians, Balkarians, Macedonians, Balkarians, Slovenians, Slovenes, Romanians, Moldavians, Aromanians, Moldovans, Ancient Greece, Lithuanians, Latvians, Livonians, Estonians, Setu, Finns, Karelians, Western Sami, Western Ukrainians, Byelarusians, Belarusians, Russians: Central part of ethnic territory as in A.D. 1500 (Tver, Yaroslavl, Moscow, Kostroma, Vladimir, Ivanovo, Nizhny Novgorod, Ryazan, Tula, Kaluga, Smolensk provinces; in case of absence in other areas also Russians in Vyatka, Perm, Kazan provinces), Iranian literary tradition (including Avesta, Pahlevi scripts, Sah-nameh, Marzban-nameh); Zoroastrians of Iran, Indian Parsees, Zoroastrianism, Cherkassians, Adyghe, Kabardin, Karachays, Balkar, Ingush, Svans, Georgians, Armenians, Kalmyk, Crimean Tatars, Karaims, Gagauz, Anatolia Turks, Kara Kalpak, Uyghur, Bashkirs, Mari (Cheremis), Mordvins, Chuvash, Udmurt, Mansi, Eastern Khanty (Ostyaks), Forest Nenets, Buryats: Western (cis Baikal), Mongols (Khalkha), Khakas, Southern Altai: Altai proper (Altai-Kiji), Telengit, Altaians, Nganasans, Southern Selkups, Kets, Central Yakuts (Sakha), Tungus (Evenki): Baikal region, Evenks, Evens (Lamuts), Ainu, Udeghe, Oroch, Nanai, Negidal, Nivkh, Manchu, Forest (Upper Kolyma) Yukaghir, Creols of Russkoye Ustye, Chuvans, Russian-speaking Creols of Markovo, Chukchi, St. Lawrence Island Yupik, Chipewyan, Dogrib, Slavey, Upper Tanana (Nebesna), Tanacross, Tutchone, Tagish, Kaska, Upper Kuskokwim (Kolchan), Koyukon, Tanana, Gwich'in (Kuchin, Loucheux), Beaver, Bering Strait Inupiat (incl. King Island), Eyak, Tlingit, Haida, Kwakiutl (Kwakwaka'wakw), Menominee, Five Nations Iroquois (Seneca, Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga), Tuscarora, Winnebago, Blackfoot, Sarsee (Tsuu T'ina), Shawnee, Yuchi, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Teton (incl Oglala), Santee, Mandan, Osage, Quapaw, Omaha, Ponca, Oto, Arikara, Pawnee, Wichita; Spiro Mound iconography, Kiowa Apache, Gros Ventre, Plains Cree, Plains Ojibwa, Assiniboine, Crow, Hidatsa, Thompson (Nlaka'pamux), Lushootseed (Puget Sound: Puyallup, Nisqualmi, Snuqualmi, Duwamish, Muckleshoot, Snohomish, Skagit), Lower Chehalis, Upper Chehalis, (Lower) Cowlitz, Western Sahaptin (Upper Cowlitz, Klikitat, Tenino, Umatilla, Yakima, Wallawalla), Oregon Athabaskans: Lower Umpqua, Tututni (incl Joshua), Upper Coquille, Galice, Tolowa, Flathead, Klamath, Modoc, Wiyot, Chitimacha, Alabama, Koasati, Creek, Seminole; Tuskegee; iconography of Kentucky Hopewell, Cherokee, Yuki (Yuki proper, Coastal Yuki, Huchnob), Wintu, Patwin, Nomlaki, Maidu, Nisenan, Konkov, Atsugewi, Northern Foothills Yokuts (Chukchansi, Dumna, Kechayi), Salinan, Kawaiisu, Mono (Monache), Tubatulabal, Northern Paiute (=Paviotso), Bannock, Upland Yuma: Walapai, Havasupai, Yavapai, Chemehuevi, Navajo, Jicarilla, Hopi, Zuni, Western Keres (Acoma, Laguna), Yuma proper (Quechan), Mohave, Maricopa, Seri, Pima, Papago, Warihio (Guarijío), Tarahumara, Huichol, Mixtec, Trique, Cuicatec; Amuzgo, Kogi (Cagaba), Sanha, Creols of Aritama Valley, Tunebo, Guayabero, Wayana, Aparai, Siona, Secoya, Coreguaje, Napo (Quijo), Kanelo (“Jungle Kechua”), Kofan, Letuama, Tanimuca, Ufaina, Yahuna, Witoto, Ocaina, Machiguenga, Cashibo, Tacana, Moseten, Chimane, Bolivian Guarani: Chiriguano (including assimilated Chane Arawaks), Pauserna (=Guarasu), Guarayu, Tapiete, Kaingang, Xokleng, Sheta, Mataco, Northern and Southern Tehuelche, Central Tibetans (Yu Tsang, incl. Sikkim Tibetans, Tichurong of NW Nepal), Yellowknife, Papua-New Guinea Northern Lowland Papuan groups (Trans New Guinea and unclassified): Komba, Gimi, Susure, Orokaiva, Bogadjim, Ngain, Sentani, Bargam, Imonda, Nankina, Yupta Valley, Urawa Valley, Warupu (Barupu), Pondoma (Anam), Terek Cossacks, Egypt